A 22-year-old nursing mother, Oluwafunmilayo Adisa, who was charged with the death of her baby by drowning, has been sent for psychiatric evaluation.
An Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos gave the order on Wednesday following an application by the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD).
Magistrate (Mrs) K. O. Doja-Ojo remanded her at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
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The OPD Director, Dr. Babajide Martins, had applied that the defendant be sent to and remanded at LASUTH “for psychiatric evaluation to help determine the state of her mental health.”
He based his application on Section 217 (3) of Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), 2015.
Magistrate Doja-Ojo adjourned till June 26 for the outcome of the tests.
Adisa is suspected by the police to have drowned her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Oluwanifemi, in a bucket of water.
According to a temporary charge, marked C/42d/2020 and attached to the OPD’s application, “Adisa Oluwafunmilayo, on May 11, 2020, at about 2020 hours at Plot 222, 21/211 Road Gowon Estate, Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA) Lagos… unlawfully killed one Adisa Oluwanifemi, female, aged one and a half years, by drowning her in a bucket of water and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The charge was signed by Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Yetunde Cardoso.
Speaking after the court session, Martins said the OPD is representing Adisa in line with its statutory responsibility of providing free legal service for the indigent and vulnerable.
He said OPD came to her rescue by providing free legal representation and ensuring that the suspect was timely moved from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti to the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Oshodi as an outpatient pending her arraignment for further judicial action.
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